


A Friend in Need

by Lady_Douji



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Bullying, Gen, ffxv_kink_meme, kink_meme
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-05
Updated: 2017-04-05
Packaged: 2018-10-15 04:34:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,145
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10550146
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Douji/pseuds/Lady_Douji
Summary: Kink_Meme prompt :AU where Prompto's true heritage is revealed when he was a child/teenager and he ends up being brutally bullied and maltreated by everyone because he's a "filthy Niff".





	

**Author's Note:**

> Kink_meme prompt: https://ffxv-kinkmeme.dreamwidth.org/3016.html?thread=2072776#cmt2072776
> 
> I'm not sure how well I filled the prompt, but this is the prompt that inspired this fic.

Standing by the school gate, Noctis tried not to look impatient as he waited for Prompto. He had finally gotten his friend to agree to a study session after school after weeks of dodging him. In addition to actually getting to spend time with Prompto, Noctis hoped he would be able to get some answers about his behavior. Prompto’s withdrawal and absence from his side had been as sudden as his appearance and Noctis found himself unreasonably irritated by the change.

“Highness? We should be leaving. You have reports to go over.” Ignis interrupted Noctis’ train of thought.

“Just a few more minutes.” Noctis gave into the urge to stand on his toes scanning the crowd for the telltale sign of blonde hair. “Prompto swore he would come study with me today. He’s been acting weird lately but I don’t think he’ll break a promise.”

“Very well, but please stand properly. Standing on your toes like that isn’t dignified” Ignis acquiesced, pushing his glasses up slightly as he started checking the crowd of students himself.

Noctis fell back to his heels with a huff hearing Gladio’s chuckling behind him and not for the first time Noctis was jealous of both his advisor’s and his Shield's height advantage over him. “Fine fine just help me look for him.”

The three fell into silence as they watched the rest of the students file out of the school heading home or whatever activities they had planned.

“Hey I think I see him. Going off with some red-head.” Gladio frowned and started walking toward where he had seen the blond. 

“Gladio, what’s wrong?” Ignis asked, 

“Kid looked scared.” came Gladio’s grim reply.

That set Noctis and Ignis following on Gladio’s heels as he headed off where he saw the two disappear. Noctis kinda recognized where they were headed. One of the smaller and secluded courtyards students typically avoided. Before Prompto started hanging out with him Noctis tended to hide there from the others. It was a nice peaceful place. Well normally at least. They could hear the yelling even before they turned the final corner into the courtyard.

“I TOLD YOU TO STAY AWAY FROM HIM!” Noctis didn’t recognize the voice, but he could identify the unmistakable sound of a fist hitting someone’s flesh and and pained grunt that could only be Prompto.

Noctis didn’t wait to hear more. Rushing ahead his wooden practice coming to his hand with barely a thought. Finally reaching the courtyard Noctis saw the redhead Gladio mention striking Prompto hard enough to send him crashing to the ground. For one split second Noctis wished he could have called up a real sword and then all he saw was blue. 

The redhead screamed in pain as Noctis’ sword struck true at his shoulder knocking him back and several feet away from Prompto. Noctis banished the practice sword, not quite trusting himself not to beat Prompto’s assailant to death with it. Instead he opted to grab the red-head’s wrist, and the front of his shirt holding him up. Now that he was up close Noctis could recognize the boy. Seavus, they shared a few classes together but Noctis couldn’t remember him ever interacting with Prompto before.

“What the HELL is going on?” He demanded, snarling at Saevus.

Saevus stared at Noctis in surprise for a moment before responding, “Just teaching blondie to know his place.”

“And who are you to to tell Prompto ‘his place.” Noctis growled. He was beyond tired of people implying or outright saying he shouldn’t be friends with with Prompto. 

“Why the hell are you protecting him?” Saevus yelled back, his face twisted with pain and disgust. “He’s a Six damned Nif!”

Behind them, Prompto gave out choked cry full of despair and pain, but no denial.

Oh. That explained a lot.

Noctis held Saevus’ wrist in a iron grip, feeling a sliver of satisfaction at his pained face as tiny bones shifted under his fingers. Stepping forward, Noctis forced the bully back another step. Another step away from Prompto, Prompto who had been acting so scared and skittish for weeks. And now Noctis knew why.

“He is a Crown City citizen.” Noctis could scarcely recognize his own voice in his rage. “Just as he has been since he was brought here as an eight month old infant. Just as he was when he was adopted by a Crown City family. He is a Crown City citizen that I, the Crown Prince of Lucis just witnessed you assaulting.” 

Saevus tried to scramble back, to pull away from the enraged prince, fortunately he still had enough presence of mind not to try and strike Noctis. Noctis almost wished he would try to hit him, just to give him more of an excuse to beat on him. A smirk tugged at his lips as he watched the meaning of his words dawn in the bully’s panicked brain.

“Y-you knew.” Saevus gasped “You knew he was from Nifleheim”

“Not at first,” Noctis admitted “It came up during the background check after we became friends. And was dismissed as irrelevant, because what sort of idiot blames and villainizes a baby because of where he happened to be born. Or tries to use it against him.”

The smirk slipping away Noctis tugged at Saevus’ wrist, “I am curious how you found out however. Those records are sealed to everyone but the crown. Accessing them or learning of their contents without authorization could be considered treason.”

His classmate’s face paled as he gaped starting to babble that he was loyal to Lucis and the crown. Noctis rolled his eyes, no longer caring to listen “Hey Ignis,” he called to his advisor who already had his phone out, no doubt already calling the appropriate Crownsguard about possible security and information breaches “Can you and Gladio deal with him from here?”

“Of course Your Highness.” Ignis added, his voice cool and clipped, “Please take Prompto and wait in the car. We won’t be long.”

Gladio’s expression was grim as he stepped forward to collect Saevus from Noctis’ grip “You got it Noctis.”

Nodding, Noctis turned away from the two and forced his anger aside. Prompto was still sitting on the ground staring in shock. A bruise was forming on one cheek and his bottom lip was split open and bleeding slightly. Noctis knelt down offering one hand to Prompto, “Hey, you ok? Let’s get out of here.”

Blue eyes bright with unshed tears blinked up at him until Prompto finally seemed to shake off his shock and reach up to take his hand, stumbling a little as Noctis pulled him up. “Y-yeah I’m fine.” Once he was one his feet, and dusted off what dirt he could, he couldn’t quite look at Noctis, “So you really already knew? About me, I mean uhhh.”

“Yeah.” Noctis confirmed, placing a hand at the small of Prompto’s back giving a slight push, “Come on. We’ll talk about it in the car. Plus I can get some ice or a cold pack for your cheek.”

The walk to the car was quick and quiet. Once the pair were inside the cool interior of the car’s backseat Noctis dug out the small first aid kit Ignis always kept in the car. Opening the kit with a pop, Noctis pulled out a few tissues and antiseptic as well as a cold pack. Activating the pack Noctis handed it over the Prompto getting his first close look at his best friend in days. In addition to the dark bruise and bloody lip, Prompto had dark bags under his eyes, and it looked like he had applied concealer over older, fading bruises. Busying himself with applying antiseptic to the cut on Prompto’s lip, Noctis finally spoke, “How long has this been going on?”

Prompto winced the tone in Noctis’ voice, or maybe it was the sting of antiseptic, “A couple weeks. He cornered me after school one day, said he knew I was a Nif and threatened to tell everybody if I didn’t stay away from you.”

“And hit you when I didn’t stay away it looks like.” Noctis concluded with a frown. Thinking back, Noctis could probably pinpoint the exact day this had started. Prompto had started making excuses, saying he couldn’t hang out after school or just disappearing completely when the bell rang. It had hurt, and Noctis had wondered if Prompto had gotten bored of him. “Damnit Prompto why didn’t you say anything?”

“How could I?” Prompto said holding the cold pack to his cheek, “I didn’t want you or anyone else to know I was from Nifleheim, and I didn’t know you already knew.”

Prompto’s gaze feel to the sports band on his right wrist. Noctis knew he was thinking about the barcode inked onto the pale skin there. There was a picture of it in the file he, Ignis, and Gladio reviewed. He could still hear Gladio ranting about evil idiots tattooing babies. He wondered what Prompto’s parents had told him about it. He wondered how much Prompto’s parents had been told about Prompto’s origins. 

“Hey, how did I end up in Insomnia anyway?” Prompto asked suddenly “I mean everything in the papers and books say Nifleheim is really insular and doesn’t let its people leave a whole lot.”

Noctis got the uncomfortable feeling he knew more about Prompto’s past than he did. That didn’t seem quite right to Noctis. “I don’t have all the details because parts of it are still classified and even I can’t see it until I officially take the throne. But it was back before Galahd fell. There was some joint operation between the Kingsglaive and their forces to raid and destroy a Nif weapon research facility. The raid was a success and they found thirteen babies in one of the rooms. You’re one of them”

Prompto’s eyes went wide, mouthing the word “thirteen” running the number and information over in his head. “You mean I’m not the only one? But what were the Nifs doing with us?”

“No you’re not, but I don’t know who the others are, so don’t ask.” Noctis shrugged, “We don’t know what they were doing. The researchers managed to destroy all their records and killed themselves before they could be questioned. You and the other babies were brought here and examined, but were found to be completely normal and healthy. Apparently whatever they planned to do they hadn’t started yet.”

Prompto put down the cold pack in favor of pulling off the wristband he always wore, looking at the black lines on his pale skin. “I can’t believe you knew about this the entire time.”

Noctis picked up the pack and set it against the bruise, “Yeah, sorry I didn’t let on. Probably would have saved you some trouble, but I never thought it would be an issue.”

Prompto opened his mouth to reply, but stopped when Ignis and Gladio joined them in the car.

“Well that was a most unpleasant young man.” Ignis stated as he took his place in the driver’s seat. Looking back at the two younger boys, “Everything settled back there?”

“Yeah, we’re good.” Prompto said with a slight grin, replacing his wristband and taking hold of the cold pack again.”

“You get Saevus taken care of?” Noctis asked settling into his seat, feigning disinterested but Ignis could see the the anger and hatred in his blue-grey eyes.

“What’s gonna happen to him?” Prompto added, chewing his lip nervously.

Gladio shrugged, “Depends on how he got the info he wasn’t suppose to have, and how much he co-operates with the Crownsguard.”

“Indeed. But you won’t need to worry about him again.” Ignish stated, “I doubt he’ll be allowed back at that particular school, or any position in the government in the future. And we should probably count ourselves lucky it was only a petty minded bully that found out.”

“Oooh good point, Ignis.” Gladio agreed “Would have been really bad if it had been spy or someone with a grudge against the crown. Really glad I’m not in the intelligence division. They’re going to be up for a couple late night dealing with this.”

Noctis punched the back of Gladio’s seat. “Hey quit it. You’re scaring him.”

Looking back Gladio could see Prompto staring pale and wide-eyed, as if mentally running through worst case scenarios, and winced. “Hey kid, it’s cool. We’re gonna take care of the leak, and you don’t have to worry about it.”

“All you need to worry about is studying for your tests.” Ignis supplied. “As Noctis said, You’re a Crown City citizen and will be treated and protected as one.”

As Prompto relaxed again Noctis pulled out his phone, “So how about a round of King’s Knight?”

Grinning honestly for the first time and weeks Prompto reached for his own phone, “You’re on.”

**Author's Note:**

> And there's a new franchise wide kink_meme for final fantasy accepting prompts from Final Fantasy 1 through Final Fantasy 15 and all the side games and media. So if you're craving something different check it out https://final-fantasy-kink-meme.dreamwidth.org/


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